Weekly Wrap: UCLA, Memphis make moves
There were few changes in the updated team rankings this week, and there were a handful of commitments of note. Who is this week's commitment of the week? Find out all of the answers in this week's edition of the Weekly Wrap-up.
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UCLA, MEMPHIS MAKE MOVES
UCLA added Anthony Stover, the No. 134-ranked player in the class of 2009, over the weekend. His commitment gives the Bruins four in the class, and his addition boosts the class from No. 13 to No. 12 in the updated team rankings.
Stover, who plays at Los Angeles (Calif.) Windward, gives the Bruins another big body down low and a player who can block shots, fill the lane and add depth to the frontline rotation.
After viewing impressive video of Miami (Fla.) Dade College prospects and Memphis commitments Darnell Dodson, who committed to the Tigers this week, and Will Coleman, Rivals.com has upgraded the duo to four-star status.
With Dodson on board, Coleman a four-star and top-50 talent Nolan Dennis on board, Memphis checks in at No. 14 in the team rankings.
"He's now 6-8, trimmed all of his baby fat and can literally play anywhere on the floor," Miami Dade coach Matt Eisele said of Dodson. "He can play the one through the four, shoot the daylights out of it, can post up, can handle it and play in the midrange. He's a legit top-50 player in that class. He can score the basketball with the best of them."
Eisele raves about Coleman, too.
"There is not a big in the country that runs the floor how he does," Eisele said. "And there is not a big in the country that is as athletic as he is, either. He's an absolute freak."
CATCHING UP ON MAJOR COMMITMENTS
COMMITMENT OF THE WEEK
When Lake Forest (Ill.) guard Matt Vogrich committed to Michigan, the Rivals150 guard gave coach John Beilein something he's never had before. The 17-year head coaching veteran has never landed a pair of nationally ranked guards in the same recruiting class.
Vogrich, the No. 131-ranked player in the country, joins Darius Morris, the No. 71-ranked player in the country, in Michigan's 2009 recruiting class.
Rivals.com national basketball recruiting analyst Jerry Meyer said he wouldn't be surprised to see both players eventually starting for the Wolverines as freshmen next season. Vogrich will help the team because of his ability from long range as well as his intelligence in the backcourt.
"Along with being a quality player in his own right, Vogrich has the type of game that could really flourish in Michigan's system under coach Beilein," Meyer said. "Besides being an outstanding shooter, Vogrich also has a strong understanding of the game and can make skilled plays both with the ball and away from it. I wouldn't be surprised to see him find his place in the lineup quite early in his career."
Vogrich also considered Notre Dame and Stanford.
Chatham (Va.) Hargrave Military Academy forward Chris Braswell was one of the biggest and most important commitments of the week. The Washington, D.C., area star committed to Charlotte after visiting the Atlantic 10 program last weekend.
The former Georgetown commitment picked the 49ers over Indiana, Maryland, Xavier and Virginia Tech.
Freddie Riley, Braswell's high school teammate, is also headed to the Atlantic 10. Riley, a 6-foot-5 guard from Florida, verbally committed to Massachusetts. He gives new coach Derek Kellogg a major scoring threat on the perimeter.
Riley wasn't the only player to commit to Kellogg this weekend as Rivals150 junior Maxie Esho also pledged to the program. The 6-foot-8 forward from Lee (Maine) Academy is a Washington, D.C., area native and should give the Minutemen a nice start into what the program hopes is a fruitful pipeline to Amherst.
Newark (N.J.) St. Benedict's combo guard Tamir Jackson made his commitment to Rice official last week. The three-star guard is the first major commitment for new coach Ben Braun.
The Owls struck later in the week when Chicago (Ill.) Payton College Prep wing Chris Eversley decided to join the 2009 class.
A pair of SEC schools went to the junior college ranks to snag a wing prospect. LSU locked up Panama City (Fla.) Gulf Coast Community College prospect Brad Reese. Concordia (Kan.) Cloud County Community College wing Jemal Farmer committed to Arkansas, giving the Razorbacks two commitments in the 2009 class.
The West Coast Conference just gets stronger and stronger. Loyola Marymount landed a commitment from Terrell Vinson, the No. 81-ranked player in the class of 2009. The 6-foot-6 wing from Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances gives new coach Bill Bayno an instant impact player to make the team competitive.
Alabama dipped into Georgia to pull away Canton Cherokee center Shawn Kemp. The 6-foot-9 four-star prospect also strongly considered Nevada and Washington.
Purdue added another Rivals150 player to its 2010 recruiting class: Anthony Johnson of Chicago (Ill.) Whitney Young. The 6-foot-3 guard is the highest-rated player to commit to Matt Painter's program in the 2010 class. The three-man group makes up one of the best junior classes in the nation so far.
Georgetown stalked Southborough (Mass.) St. Mark's School forward Nate Lubick all summer, and the pursuit paid off on Tuesday night when the top-65 prospect committed to the Hoyas. Lubick, a 6-foot-8 forward from the class of 2010, is the second commitment to Georgetown in the junior class.
Providence picked up a commitment from Detroit (Mich.) Community center James Still late Tuesday night. The 6-foot-9 post player is still raw but should help on the defensive end of the floor right away.
Western Michigan added another good one in the 2009 class. Marion (Iowa) Linn Mar wing Nate Hutcheson committed to the MAC program last week. The 6-foot-5 senior is one of the top mid-level prospects in the Midwest.
Argyle (Texas) point guard Caden Dickerson will take his game to Western Kentucky.
Ohio coach John Groce is already establishing a pipeline to Illinois. The Bobcats picked up a second commitment from the state this week when James Kinney of Champaign (Ill.) Centennial popped for the program. He joins point guard D.J. Cooper, who committed to the class last month.
Georgia Southern secured a huge commitment from Torelyn Fitzpatrick of Temple Terrace (Fla.) Cambridge. The 6-foot-7 bruiser is an instant impact player for coach Jeff Price.
Brandyn Curry of Charlotte (N.C.) Hopewell committed to Harvard, continuing the strong recruiting efforts by the Ivy League school under the direction of Tommy Amaker.
Berwyn (Pa.) Conestoga center Jake Cohen picked Davidson over Stanford.
Garden City (Kan.) Community College wing Thomas Manzano committed to Wyoming.
MORE PLEDGES AROUND THE NATION
Eureka (Calif.) point guard Greg Allen committed to Idaho.
Shooting guard Colin Nickerson of Waukegan (Ill.) decided he is ready to join Fairfield.
Jacksonville picked up a commitment from Josh Sparks, a 6-foot-7 forward from Savannah (Ga.) Christian.
Charlotte (N.C.) Christian guard Carson Sullivan committed to Penn.
Houston (Texas) St. Thomas point guard Blake Jolivette gave his commitment to American.
Chris Pelcher of Albany (N.Y.) Academy for Boys committed to Iona.
Montverde (Fla.) Academy big man Nick Diatta committed to Towson.
Montana went to Longview (Wash.) Mark Morris to land big man Eric Hutchison.
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